Multicast packet network networks are increasingly being used to carry and deliver broadcast quality live video. In some examples, video may be digitally encoded using a compression standard, such as Moving Pictures Export Group (MPEG) H264 part 10. The encoded video may be encapsulated in a Packetized Elementary Stream (PES). Furthermore, multiple packets within the PES may be encapsulated in an Internet Protocol (IP) packet for transport between, for example, a distribution hub and a Set Top Box (STB). In some configurations, multicast technology may be used to distribute the same video streams simultaneously to 100,000 Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) STBs. Unlike many other types of media, digital video is extremely sensitive to lost packets. Therefore, IPTV networks may be engineered to achieve packet loss rates better than one in 10^6. In some examples, a provider's network may simultaneously offer 250 or more channels. In an IPTV network where video is delivered over IP all the way to the STB, one channel may be mapped to one multicast group. Thus, a large number of multicast groups may exist at any one time in a single network. Furthermore, such a network may include hundreds of routers.